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Home » Breakfast and Brunch

Published: Nov 22, 2021 · Modified: Dec 18, 2024 by Kathy

Ham and Cheese Strata

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A slice of egg casserole with bits of ham.

A delicious breakfast casserole made with leftover ham and your choice of cheese. This ham and cheese strata is a perfect make-ahead casserole and can serve a crowd.

Serve for a holiday breakfast or a Sunday brunch!

A breakfast strata with ham.

Breakfast strata with ham and cheese

A breakfast strata is simply an egg casserole with bread and your choice of meat and cheese. I've made this one with leftover ham and Swiss cheese.

Mix this up the night before and then bake in the morning. It makes for a delicious easy morning breakfast. Perfect for the holidays especially served with oven baked breakfast sausages.

This recipe makes enough to serve 9 people so you might have some leftovers. My husband likes to reheat it for his lunch.

This recipe is a perfect way to use up your holiday ham, cheese and day old bread!

Key ingredients

Ingredients for making an egg casserole.
  • Eggs - This recipe uses 8 eggs
  • Ham - leftover ham is perfect
  • Cheese - Swiss, Monterey, Cheddar. Use all three or pick your favorite
  • Bread - Day old bread that is just slightly stale
  • Milk - Any type of milk works. Whole milk will make a richer strata
  • Dijon mustard - Adds just a bit of zing to the strata
  • Herbs - fresh or dried thyme. You can also use parsley or basil.

Making a strata

  • Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, herbs and salt and pepper together in a bowl
Eggs in a bowl.
Whipped eggs in a bowl.
  • Add bread and mix gently until bread is fully coated
  • Stir in ham and cheese
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight
  • Pour mixture into a greased 8-inch baking dish
A bowl with eggs, ham and cheese.
An unbaked breakfast casserole.
  • Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 50-60 minutes until no longer jiggly in the center
A baked breakfast casserole.

Recipe tips

  • The bread should be stale, but not fully dried. If your bread is fresh, cut into cubes and let sit uncovered at room temperature.
  • Dried herbs can be used in place of fresh herbs. Cut the amount in half.
  • Use thyme, parsley, or basil
  • Allow casserole to cool at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving
  • Garnish with fresh herbs

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if the egg casserole is baked through?

Give the casserole dish a little jiggle. If the center is set, the casserole should be done. You can also insert a butter knife in the center of the casserole to determine if the center is cooked.

How do I store leftover ham and egg strata?

Allow casserole to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To use, slice a piece and microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through.

More delicious breakfast casserole dishes

  • Cheesy Baked Eggs
  • Hash Brown Casserole
  • Baked French Toast
  • Denver Scrambled Eggs
  • Ham and Spinach Quiche
A slice of breakfast strata on a white plate.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

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A breakfast strata with ham.

Ham and Cheese Strata

Kathy Berget
A delicious breakfast casserole with ham and cheese.
5 from 41 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Chilling Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 9 people
Calories 252 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Whisk
  • Baking Dish - 8 x 8 inch
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cups cubed bread
  • 1 ½ cups ham (cubed)
  • 1 cup swiss cheese (cubed or shredded)

Instructions
 

  • Whisk eggs, milk, mustard and seasonings together in a large bowl
    8 eggs, 1 ½ cups milk, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
  • Add bread and stir gently so all bread is covered
    4 cups cubed bread
  • Stir in ham and cheese
    1 ½ cups ham, 1 cup swiss cheese
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or for overnight
  • Pour mixture into a greased 8x8 inch baking dish
  • Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 50-60 minutes
  • Allow casserole to rest for 5-10 minutes
  • Top with freshly chopped parsley and serve

Notes

  • The bread should be stale, but not fully dried. If your bread is fresh, cut into cubes and let sit uncovered at room temperature.
  • Dried herbs can be used in place of the fresh. Cut amount in half.
  • Use thyme, parsley, or basil
  • Allow casserole to cool at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving
  • Garnish with fresh herbs

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 252kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 17gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 644mgPotassium: 235mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 400IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 202mgIron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dianne says

    December 22, 2022 at 9:21 am

    can I use hash browns in place of the bread?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 22, 2022 at 10:10 am

      Hi Dianne,
      I have only made this recipe using bread. However, you could check out this recipe for a Hash Brown Casserole. It's very similar. In theory, you shouldn't have any problems substituting the bread for the hash browns, but I haven't tested it out.
      Let me know how it works for you!
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  2. Julia Marple says

    December 29, 2021 at 1:44 pm

    5 stars
    Wow So Dramatic and Beautiful!
    I guess I had never made a strata before.
    I'm a fan!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 30, 2021 at 5:02 am

      Thanks, Julie!!! They are easy to make and I love that you can make ahead of time too.
      ~ Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  3. Valentina says

    November 30, 2021 at 12:08 pm

    Love that this is such an impressive brunch dish with such a short prep time. Of course, I'd happily have it for dinner too. 🙂 ~Valentina

    Reply
  4. David @ Spiced says

    November 24, 2021 at 4:24 am

    5 stars
    This is my kinda breakfast! I've always enjoyed a good egg casserole, but I rarely make it. The ham and Swiss cheese in there is calling my name, and I might just need to put this on the menu sometime during the holiday season!

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Kathy!!

    Reply
  5. Dawn says

    November 23, 2021 at 5:19 am

    5 stars
    This strata would be perfect for any meal of the day! So comforting, delicious and just the kinda thing I'm looking for (especially for weekend brunch).

    Reply
5 from 41 votes (38 ratings without comment)

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I'm Kathy, and I love to create delicious recipes from scratch utilizing many ingredients that we grow and raise. I'm a recipe creator, food photographer, and cookbook author!

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